Students MUST have a class library agreement on file prior to checking out books
Check out: Sign book out using first AND last name and book title.
Check in: Show Ms. Wiltshire book for condition check before check-in
Independent Reading Assignments It's common knowledge that independent reading is necessary in order for young adults to: gain a wide vocabulary; learn conventions of good writing style, spelling and grammar; and develop reading strategies to increase reading comprehension levels. Beyond that though, reading independently prepares students for the self-discipline needed to succeed in college and to develop a life-long love of reading.It is for these reasons that independent reading is a requirement for English class. The book projects assigned throughout the year are done with the intention of allowing students a creative outlet to display their talents while demonstrating what they have learned from their books.
Students will be expected to read 4 independent reading (IR) books outside of course assigned reading materials (that is 1/marking period). Talk to Ms. Wiltshire if you are having difficulty finding an IR book. Students must have their IR choices approved by Ms. Wiltshire. The book selections should be of an appropriate reading level for the student; appropriateness will be assessed by the teacher. Students are not allowed to read books that have been recently made into films. Students are expected to have the IR in class daily.
In addition to the IR projects, students will now need to complete an IR Completion Form, which must be TYPED.
(not required the 1st 9 weeks) Connections for the IR Completion Form: (Do three of each, complete sentences, well thought out and articulated examples).
Text- to- Text connection between this text (book) and another text (another book, poem, short story, something you have read....)
Text- to- Self connection between this text (book) and yourself (something that has happened to you personally)
Text- to- World connection between this text (book) and something that has happened in real life- in the world (politics, etc)
THERE WILL BE A CLASS LIBRARY AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO CHOOSE BOOKS FROM SHOULD THEY NEED TO; HOWEVER, STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE GREAT CARE WITH THESE BOOKS AND RETURN THEM IN THE CONDITION IN WHICH THEY WERE BORROWED, STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO CHECK THE BOOKS OUT AND IN WITH THE APPROVAL OF MS. WILTSHIRE. FEES WILL BE ASSESSED FOR DAMAGED AND LOST BOOKS.
Interview a character from your book. Write at least 10 questions (and answers to those questions) that will give the character the opportunity to discuss his/her thoughts and feelings about his/her role in the story. However you choose to present your interview is up to you (paper, recorded interview, role play with a classmate). Make sure that your answers are in depth and reflect the thoughts of the character.
Design a book jacket for the book. I STRONGLY suggest that you look at an actual book jacket before you attempt this. The book jacket should include a fully designed front cover ((of your own design) with a design significant to the story, a brief synopsis of the book, reviews of the book, and an "about the author" section on the inside.
Create a playlist of at least 10 songs that represent ideas from the book. Write a brief summary describing why you included each song (1 summary/song). Include a copy of the songs or lyrics if you are unable to get the songs themselves.
Time it!- Design a detailed timeline for the most significant events in your book. This should consist of at least six events. The timeline should be illustrated and along with the descriptions of the events, there should be a statement of why this event was significant in the story an/or how it connects to other past or future events. (Each event should have a description of 40-50 words each.)
Create a home page. Select two characters and design a home page for each of them, picking out appropriate backgrounds and pictures and then creating information that would tell a viewer about your character. Also, create links to at least five different sites that you think your character would be interested in. Then write up and post on the page an explanation of how you made the decisions you did and what you believe this tells us about the character.
Dramatize a scene from the story with other students or using puppets.
Rearrange a passage into a "found poem." (See Ms. Wiltshire for more information on found poems!)
Design a wire sculpture for the book that represents a mood, theme, or tone of the story.
2nd 9 week options
Write 3 diary entries that one of the story’s main characters might have kept before, during, or after the book’s events. Remember that the character’s thoughts and feelings are very important in a diary. THIS SHOULD NOT JUST BE A SUMMARY OF EVENTS THAT HAPPENED IN THE BOOK!!! Take on the persona of the character that you are writing the entries as and get into thoughts and feelings.
Write and perform an original song that tells the story of the book.
Create a 30-second movie commercial/trailer podcast of the book.
Draw a mural depicting key scenes from the book.This should be accompanied by a written explanation of what you included and why.
Create a travel brochure for the setting of the story or scrapbook pages about key characters.
Explain why you think this book will or will not be read 100 years from now. Support your opinion by stating specific events in the story. (see project requirements at the bottom of this page)
Make a final test (and key) for the book. The test should have multiple sections (multiple choice, true/false, matching, short answer, etc and at least 1 essay question. Your test should have 20 questions- spanning the contents of the entire book- minimum)
Create a mobile for the book with important symbols or ideas from the book. Include a detailed description of each symbol and it's importance to the book.
3rd 9 week options
Build a miniature stage setting of a scene in the book. Include a written explanation of the scene and describe its importance to the book as a whole.
Do a book talk. Talk to the class about your book by saying a little about the author, explain who the characters are and explain enough about the beginning of the story so that everyone will understand what they are about to read. Finally, read an exciting, interesting, or amusing passage from your book.This should be more than just a typical presentation of an IR story- you need to go in-depth with this!!!
Movie Poster Advertisement- Make a movie poster for the book you are reading (this can only be for books which have NOT been made into movies already). On the poster should be an original summary of approximately 100-150 words; a brief biography of the author; graphics which represent important scenes and themes of the book; quotes, which capture key moments and phrases to grab our attention. Rate the “movie” version of your book, and be prepared to discuss your choice during your presentation.(Students should not choose this as an “easy” project; it requires thought and creativity and will be graded critically. You should be able to discuss your design with the class during your presentation.)
Make a Scrapbook- Create a detailed scrapbook that a main character may have compiled, cataloging his/her journey through the story. This may include pictures, tickets, mementos, etc. with corresponding captions to explain each item. Be sure to write everything in first person narrative, just like you would do if making your own scrapbook about a particular adventure with friends.
Create a childhood for a character. If your main character is an adult, try to figure out what he or she would have been like as a child.Write the story of his or her childhood in such a way that shows why he or she is the way he or she is in the novel. (see project requirements at the bottom of this page)
Write an extension for the book- a "lost chapter" or epilogue explaining what happens to the characters after the book ends.(see project requirements at the bottom of this page)
Create a "behind the scenes" for the book- write a scene that was "deleted" from the book that gives clarity to a situation or event.
Create a game complete with playing board and directions using situations and characters from the book.
4th 9 week options
Write a feature article (with a headline) that tells the story of the book as it might be found on the front page of a newspaper in the town where the story takes place. When doing this, make sure that you are writing the article as it would appear in a newspaper- look at one before writing.
Write a FULL (physical, emotional, relational) description of two of the characters in the book. Draw a portrait to accompany each description.
Do character mapping (for at least 3 characters), showing how characters reacted to 8 major events and changed.
Create a Children’s Book Version- Write a retelling of your novel for elementary school children. Just like a children’s book, this should have pictures and text to accompany it. Remember, it needs to meet the 200-250 word requirement, so as you retell, do it with language that would appeal to children, but also is detailed enough to hold their attention.
Write an alternate ending for the book. If you envision the book ending a different way, write it! Actually WRITE the ending of the book- don't just summarize what would happen and mimic the author's style. You should also include a brief summary of the book the way that it originally ended so I can see the difference in the endings.
Video Game Design: Design a video game based on your IR book. The project should include a cover sheet, in which students describe the game and name it. They should also present a series of sketches showing what the game will look like and how it will be played. There should be an additional page which details what sorts of challenges or missions your game would include (i.e. episodes from the book) and how those challenges relate to the book. The challenges/missions/etc do not have to directly come out of the book, but should relate in some way to the events of the book.
Put the book on trial for potential censorship. What are the arguments for potentially removing this book from the school libraries? Against?
Plan and construct a bulletin board for a book. Include a theme from the book or a particular scene.
REQUIREMENTS Book Choice: students choose their books, but choices should be school-appropriate. Prior approval for all books is required before a project is turned in. Length: all written projects are to be a minimum of 200-250 words. Mechanics: Grammar and spelling always count. Presentation: All projects should be neat, typed, and creative. These projects cannot be done at the last minute if the student expects to receive proper credit. Format: MLA format Punctuality: Late projects lose points according to the late policy. Plagiarism: NO copying of ANY kind is tolerated. This includes using sentences, phrases and/or ideas taken from a website (SparkNotes, Wikipedia, etc) or other book summary/review. In short, ANY inclusion of thoughts or ideas that are not your own will result in: a zero on the project, a parent conference, and any further discipline required by the school Academic Dishonesty Policy. (I suggest you don’t even LOOK online.)
Independent Reading Assignments
It's common knowledge that independent reading is necessary in order for young adults to: gain a wide vocabulary; learn conventions of good writing style, spelling and grammar; and develop reading strategies to increase reading comprehension levels. Beyond that though, reading independently prepares students for the self-discipline needed to succeed in college and to develop a life-long love of reading.It is for these reasons that independent reading is a requirement for English class. The book projects assigned throughout the year are done with the intention of allowing students a creative outlet to display their talents while demonstrating what they have learned from their books.
Students will be expected to read 4 independent reading (IR) books outside of course assigned reading materials (that is 1/marking period). Talk to Ms. Wiltshire if you are having difficulty finding an IR book. Students must have their IR choices approved by Ms. Wiltshire. The book selections should be of an appropriate reading level for the student; appropriateness will be assessed by the teacher. Students are not allowed to read books that have been recently made into films. Students are expected to have the IR in class daily.
In addition to the IR projects, students will now need to complete an IR Completion Form, which must be TYPED.
Connections for the IR Completion Form: (Do three of each, complete sentences, well thought out and articulated examples).
THERE WILL BE A CLASS LIBRARY AVAILABLE FOR STUDENTS TO CHOOSE BOOKS FROM SHOULD THEY NEED TO; HOWEVER, STUDENTS ARE EXPECTED TO TAKE GREAT CARE WITH THESE BOOKS AND RETURN THEM IN THE CONDITION IN WHICH THEY WERE BORROWED, STUDENTS WILL BE REQUIRED TO CHECK THE BOOKS OUT AND IN WITH THE APPROVAL OF MS. WILTSHIRE. FEES WILL BE ASSESSED FOR DAMAGED AND LOST BOOKS.
1st 9 week options
- Interview a character from your book. Write at least 10 questions (and answers to those questions) that will give the character the opportunity to discuss his/her thoughts and feelings about his/her role in the story. However you choose to present your interview is up to you (paper, recorded interview, role play with a classmate). Make sure that your answers are in depth and reflect the thoughts of the character.
- Design a book jacket for the book. I STRONGLY suggest that you look at an actual book jacket before you attempt this. The book jacket should include a fully designed front cover ((of your own design) with a design significant to the story, a brief synopsis of the book, reviews of the book, and an "about the author" section on the inside.
- Create a playlist of at least 10 songs that represent ideas from the book. Write a brief summary describing why you included each song (1 summary/song). Include a copy of the songs or lyrics if you are unable to get the songs themselves.
- Time it!- Design a detailed timeline for the most significant events in your book. This should consist of at least six events. The timeline should be illustrated and along with the descriptions of the events, there should be a statement of why this event was significant in the story an/or how it connects to other past or future events. (Each event should have a description of 40-50 words each.)
- Create a home page. Select two characters and design a home page for each of them, picking out appropriate backgrounds and pictures and then creating information that would tell a viewer about your character. Also, create links to at least five different sites that you think your character would be interested in. Then write up and post on the page an explanation of how you made the decisions you did and what you believe this tells us about the character.
- Dramatize a scene from the story with other students or using puppets.
- Rearrange a passage into a "found poem." (See Ms. Wiltshire for more information on found poems!)
- Design a wire sculpture for the book that represents a mood, theme, or tone of the story.
2nd 9 week options3rd 9 week options
- Build a miniature stage setting of a scene in the book. Include a written explanation of the scene and describe its importance to the book as a whole.
- Do a book talk. Talk to the class about your book by saying a little about the author, explain who the characters are and explain enough about the beginning of the story so that everyone will understand what they are about to read. Finally, read an exciting, interesting, or amusing passage from your book.This should be more than just a typical presentation of an IR story- you need to go in-depth with this!!!
- Movie Poster Advertisement- Make a movie poster for the book you are reading (this can only be for books which have NOT been made into movies already). On the poster should be an original summary of approximately 100-150 words; a brief biography of the author; graphics which represent important scenes and themes of the book; quotes, which capture key moments and phrases to grab our attention. Rate the “movie” version of your book, and be prepared to discuss your choice during your presentation.(Students should not choose this as an “easy” project; it requires thought and creativity and will be graded critically. You should be able to discuss your design with the class during your presentation.)
- Make a Scrapbook- Create a detailed scrapbook that a main character may have compiled, cataloging his/her journey through the story. This may include pictures, tickets, mementos, etc. with corresponding captions to explain each item. Be sure to write everything in first person narrative, just like you would do if making your own scrapbook about a particular adventure with friends.
- Create a childhood for a character. If your main character is an adult, try to figure out what he or she would have been like as a child.Write the story of his or her childhood in such a way that shows why he or she is the way he or she is in the novel. (see project requirements at the bottom of this page)
- Write an extension for the book- a "lost chapter" or epilogue explaining what happens to the characters after the book ends.(see project requirements at the bottom of this page)
- Create a "behind the scenes" for the book- write a scene that was "deleted" from the book that gives clarity to a situation or event.
- Create a game complete with playing board and directions using situations and characters from the book.
4th 9 week optionsREQUIREMENTS
Book Choice: students choose their books, but choices should be school-appropriate. Prior approval for all books is required before a project is turned in.
Length: all written projects are to be a minimum of 200-250 words.
Mechanics: Grammar and spelling always count.
Presentation: All projects should be neat, typed, and creative. These projects cannot be done at the last minute if the student expects to receive proper credit.
Format: MLA format
Punctuality: Late projects lose points according to the late policy.
Plagiarism: NO copying of ANY kind is tolerated. This includes using sentences, phrases and/or ideas taken from a website (SparkNotes, Wikipedia, etc) or other book summary/review. In short, ANY inclusion of thoughts or ideas that are not your own will result in: a zero on the project, a parent conference, and any further discipline required by the school Academic Dishonesty Policy. (I suggest you don’t even LOOK online.)